1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to layering devices, systems and methods, specifically to devices, systems and methods for applying layers to substrates using belts and rollers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, it has been known to use wrapping equipment to apply layers of materials to a substrate. Traditional composite tube wrapping processes are typically very labor intensive. Traditional methods require a manual application of a tacky substance on a heated mandrel; typically this tacky substance is non-supported adhesive which is ironed onto the mandrel. After the application of the tacky substance, the composite material is manually and smoothly applied to the sticky mandrel. The composite material has to be free of any wrinkles as it applied to the mandrel. Subsequent to these two steps the mandrel with the composite material is placed on a device that rolls the composite material around the mandrel. Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples of references related to the present invention are described below, and the supported teachings of each reference are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,393,768, issued to Feifer, discloses a wrapping machine comprising a pair of yieldingly separable rolls normally maintained close together; an endless belt with a bight normally running free and slack over said rolls, so that it may be depressed between them by an article to be wrapped to form a loop about the article, and a bight normally hanging slack from them; and driving means for said belt engaging said latter bight.
U.S. Pat. No. 657,028, issued to Pace, discloses a cotton compress, a pair of relatively fixed and moveable compression-rolls, said moveable compression-rolls having sliding supports, means for exerting a downward tension on the moveable compression-rolls, a revoluble core-rod interposed between the said rolls and regularly tapered from one end toward the other and adapted to be withdrawn from the completed bale through one side of the machine before said bale is removed, and a drive shaft having an interlocking connection with the said core-rod and also moveable in unison with the latter in a vertical direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 32,993, issued to Heald, discloses running a belt in the form of a loop, whereby a single belt encloses and forms a bearing for the whole outside surface of the cigar, with the exception of a sufficient space to admit the wrapper, the whole being constructed and operated in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,619,615, issued to Heinrichs, discloses a machine of the class described, the combination of means for continuously folding a web of paper into the form of a flattened tube, means for securing the overlapping edges of said flattened tube together, means for cutting said flattened tube into lengths, and means for perforating said lengths transversely to form separation lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,070,818, issued to Lacroix, discloses a cigar machine, the combination with wrapper applying mechanism, of a traveling apron constituting a wrapper-feeder or presenting means, have perforations therein, rollers around which said apron passed, teeth on one said rollers adapted to fit within the perforations in said apron, and means for imparting a variable speed rotation to said rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,057,193, issued to Wertheimer, discloses a combination with a stationary work-bed, of a flexible strip supported by the work-bed and having its ends rigidly secured at opposite ends of the work-bed and extending over the work-bed on which latter the wrapper and the article to be wrapped may be laid and means for forming a loop in the strip to embrace the wrapper and article and moving the loop over the work-bed to roll the wrapper and article along the work-bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,694,661, issued to Meyer, discloses a method of forming a rod which comprises continuously and progressively combining a plurality of longitudinally extending fibers and an adhesive material capable of being hardened into an elongated rod-like mass within an elongated embracing molding material having a smooth continuous molding surface contacting the rod-like mass capable of being disintegrated by heat so that when the adhesive does harden there will be a smooth continuous surface free of ridges, treating the rod-like mass to harden the adhesive, and heating the enclosed rod-like mass to disintegrate the molding material.
U.S. Pat. No. 481,453, issued to Winget, discloses a cigar-bunch-rolling machine, a rotating drum, a laterally-adjustable frame having a bunching-roller in its free end, and endless apron which passes around the drum and the said roller, and a shaping-thimble at one end of the drum, all combined substantially as specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,720, issued to Blake, discloses An overlay of sheet material that is impregnated with thermosetting resin—typically a fabric of a type including metallic, synthetic fiber, natural fiber and ceramic cloths impregnated with epoxy resin—is wrapped about or laid on an underlay of material that is also impregnated with thermosetting resin—typically a resin material reinforced with fibers of the graphite, glass, aramid, or ceramic types. The overlay and underlay are cured under heat and pressure in an oven at the same time, causing cohesive bonding of the resin within each. The resin exudes through the fabric overlay during curing and forms a hard transparent shell of cured resin to the composite article. The embedded sheet material selectively imparts color, pattern, texture, reflectivity, penetration resistance, tensile strength, thermal and electrical conductivity, and other visual and mechanical properties to the composite article as desired. Exemplary configurations include lustrous metallic-coated cloths upon the surfaces of graphite golf club shafts or vaulting poles or sailboat masts, and electrically conductive cloths conducting electricity upon the surfaces of fiber-reinforced aircraft panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,764, issued to Blake, discloses An overlay of sheet material that is impregnated with thermosetting resin—typically a fabric of a type including metallic, synthetic fiber, natural fiber and ceramic cloths impregnated with epoxy resin—is wrapped about or laid on an underlay of material that is also impregnated with thermosetting resin—typically a resin material reinforced with fibers of the graphite, glass, aramid, or ceramic types. The overlay and underlay are cured under heat and pressure in an oven at the same time, causing cohesive bonding of the resin within each. The resin exudes through the fabric overlay during curing and forms a hard transparent shell of cured resin to the composite article. The embedded sheet material selectively imparts color, pattern, texture, reflectivity, penetration resistance, tensile strength, thermal and electrical conductivity, and other visual and mechanical properties to the composite article as desired. Exemplary configurations include lustrous metallic-coated cloths upon the surfaces of graphite golf club shafts or vaulting poles or sailboat masts, and electrically conductive cloths conducting electricity upon the surfaces of fiber-reinforced aircraft panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,949, issued to Taylor et al., discloses The invention teaches an improved arrow construction which, by the partial or complete elimination of tail feathers as a means for stabilizing flight trajectory, improves both the speed and the accuracy of the arrow. A resilient stabilizing tail is substituted for tail feathers which substantially eliminates aerodynamic drag. In addition, the invention contemplates the use of a “shock piston” within the interior of the arrow shaft which serves to increase arrow penetration in the target by striking the arrow head after the initial target impact.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,176, issued to Sonobe et al., discloses Disclosed is a printing apparatus comprising a driving roll, a supporting roll, an endless offset blanket stretched between the driving roll and the supporting roll, a plurality of plate cylinders for transferring inks having a plurality of different colors onto the endless offset blanket, a plurality of first impression drums arranged to have the endless offset blanket held between the first impression drums and the plate cylinders, ink supply means for supplying the inks of the plural colors to the plate cylinders, and a second impression drum positioned to push the supporting roll and to have a printing medium held between the supporting roll and the second impression drum, the inks of the plural colors transferred onto the endless offset blanket being printed on the printing medium in a single operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,043,108, issued to Hughes, discloses an invention to improve the type inking devices of such machines and to substitute for making for the inking rolls and pads generally employed, an inking ribbon of the kind used on type writers.
U.S. Pat. No. 522,197, issued to Crowell, discloses a method of and machine for wrapping newspapers.
U.S. Pat. No. 724,485, issued to Miles, discloses a package wrapping machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 244,559, issued to Crowell, discloses a newspaper wrapping and addressing machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 237,117, issued to Mann, discloses a machine for wrapping cigars.
U.S. Pat. No. 775,538, issued to McConnell, discloses an apparatus for making non-conducting coverings.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include being expensive, inefficient, slow, limited in application, unreliable, prone to induce defects in layering, awkward and difficult to use.
What is needed is a device, system and/or method that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.